Extraprima Bordeaux 2018 Catalog english version

Bordeaux2018 | White wines extraprima
86
Château Haut-Brion, Jean-Philippe Delmas, Prince Robert
of Luxembourg and Francois Capdemourlin (Château Quintus)
Bordeaux, Graves und Péssac-Léognan – Weißweine
99 – 100 HAUT-BRION BLANC Péssac-Léognan blanc Parker 94 – 96 |
Suckling 95 – 96 | WeinWisser 19.5/20
In 2018, one of the best white Haut-Brions of the
past two decades has emerged. With 80.6 %, the
proportion of Sauvignon Blanc in the assemblage
is unusually high, because the Sémillon aromatically
was less expressive this year. Therefore, the
Haut-Brion tastes like a pure Sauvignon Blanc.
Usually, the assemblage ratio of the two grape varieties is instead
divided into half. With about 580 cases, it is an average production,
the second wine La Clarté instead rose to a remarkable 1400 cases.
Given the quite large harvest, the Grand Vin was rigorously selected.
The 14.4 % alcohol isn’t evident as well as the discreetly used
new wood, hardly more than 50 – 60 %. It was picked from 27 th
August to 5 th September. The white Haut-Brion by the color it shines
in the glass, rich and intense it smells, enormously full and exotic,
with incredibly deep Citrus notes. Fresh herbs and a touch of spices
follow, very taut and with greenish shimmering nuances. Rich and
fat, it also starts in the mouth, quite ripe, with creamy intensity,
densely woven and with a taut bite of extract and acidity, citrus, ripe
lemons, and limes are burning on the tongue. Stretched, widespread,
and long on the palate, very racy structured and with excellent
grip, which has a little tannin spice, the Haut-Brion shines to a
majestic taste experience. Enormously long, multi-faceted, and biting
in the finish, the Haut-Brion tastes for minutes, quite salty and
mineral, with enormous force and breathtaking play. The second
wine La Clarté is recommended to anyone for whom this lesson of
acidity-kick, intensity, and tension remains financially unattainable.
Winemakers, however, should not miss this aromatic training of
Haut-Brion, no matter what it costs — put together, guys! This is the
limit of what Sauvignon Blanc can be!
97 – 98 LA MISSION HAUT-BRION BLANC Péssac-Léognan blanc
Parker 92 – 94 | Suckling 97 – 98 | WeinWisser 18/20
The white La Mission Haut-Brion usually consists
of about 80 % Sémillon and 20 % Sauvignon
Blanc. Since the aromatic profile of Sémillon presented
less expressive in 2018, its share in the
assemblage shrank to 42.6 %, with 57.4 % Sauvignon
Blanc. The production is above the average
size of 620 boxes. It was harvested from 27 th
August to 5 th September. Rich and yellow-fruity, the La Mission
smells with plenty of fat, delicate citrus, and lime flavors, as well as
subtle notes of spices. Very deep and lush, it is built on opulence.
Dense, full, and meaty, it shows in the mouth an enormous, creamy
body with a substantial, complete centerpiece. Wide-ranging and
long-arranged, with high intensity and mineral pressure, it pushes
on tight-knit structured, while remaining elegant and complex,
therefore exceptionally full-bodied without being heavy. Long-lasting,
multi-faceted, and complex, La Mission continues on the palate.
With 14 % alcohol, it seems somehow easy, despite its considerable
weight and body. As so often, a fascinatingly paradoxical character
wine, which has to give Haut-Brion the lead.
Ratings in red and all descriptions by Thomas Boxberger © 2019. Other ratings: Suckling = James Suckling | Parker = Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate
Translation of the wine descriptions: Thomas Boxberger and Leo Constantin von Schaabner